The theft happened a little after 4 p.m. on Jan. 2 outside 2500 White Plains Road in Allerton, according to police.
BRONX, N.Y. — The NYPD is searching for two men who robbed a 10-year-old boy on White Plains Road in Allerton shortly after 4 p.m. on Jan. 2, authorities said. The men pushed the child, took his hat and about $45, and ran north. The child was not injured.
The incident adds to early January street crime investigations and drew officers to a well-traveled stretch of White Plains Road lined with bodegas and salons near the Allerton Avenue intersection. Detectives said the robbery took less than a minute. The timing—midafternoon, when students and families are out—has investigators checking whether the suspects passed other cameras before or after the encounter. As of Jan. 9, no arrests had been announced, and police said the search for the two men is ongoing.
According to the initial account, the pair came up to the boy outside 2500 White Plains Road, shoved him, and took a hat and approximately $45 in cash. They bolted north on foot. Officers interviewed witnesses and requested video from nearby storefronts and transit-facing cameras along White Plains Road. No weapon was mentioned in the early summary. The boy did not require medical care at the scene, and officers notified guardians while patrol units canvassed for the suspects along the corridor.
The case falls within the 49th Precinct, which covers Allerton, Morris Park and adjacent neighborhoods. White Plains Road serves as a neighborhood spine with frequent bus traffic and cameras mounted above awnings. Detectives often rely on those angles to build a step-by-step route of suspects leaving a scene. It was not immediately known whether the two men were seen loitering beforehand or if they targeted the child. Police have not released detailed physical descriptions, and investigators did not say whether the men spoke to the boy before pushing him.
Recent months have seen scattered youth robberies near schools and transit nodes across the borough, with most involving small amounts of cash or easily grabbed clothing. Precinct commanders have previously assigned sector cars to White Plains Road during dismissal hours and have encouraged businesses to keep cameras pointed toward the sidewalk. In similar cases, investigators gather still images, circulate wanted flyers and monitor pawn activity for distinctive apparel; those steps typically follow once footage is processed and cleared for release.
Next procedural steps include reviewing video from store entrances north of the scene and identifying any intersections where the pair might have crossed. If images are usable, police could release a wanted poster and ask for tips. Any charges would be determined after identification and arrest in consultation with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. As of Friday, Jan. 9, police had not scheduled a public briefing specific to this case.
On Friday afternoon, foot traffic on White Plains Road was steady as shoppers moved between delis and discount stores. Some residents described the block as busy but close-knit, with merchants quick to alert one another when something happens. Parents passing the corner said the time of day—just after 4 p.m.—is when kids are most visible outside, which made the shove-and-grab especially unsettling, even though the boy was not hurt.
Police say the investigation remains active. Detectives are expected to provide an update if they recover clear video or identify the suspects in the coming days.
Author note: Last updated January 9, 2026.